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Eagle Warriors
The Eagle Warriors is believed to be a Second Founding Successor Chapter of the Ultramarines. The Eagle Warriors is a fleet-based Chapter with no permanent homeworld on which to build its fortress-monastery. Founded during an especially anarchic period in the Imperium's history, the Eagle Warriors cite Roboute Guilliman as their Primarch and fight an endless Imperial Crusade to defend the star systems he liberated during the Great Crusade. The opening of the Great Rift has imperilled many of these systems, and so the Eagle Warriors send strike force after strike force to fight in their defence. The Eagle Warriors have been specialists in void combat since they were still a constituent Chapter of the ancient Ultramarines Legion. Chapter History Origins Space Marine.]] The origins of the Eagle Warriors Chapter can be traced back to the Great Crusade over ten millennia earlier, when it was still a part of the Ultramarines Legion, then known as the XIII Legion, before its reunification with its Primarch Roboute Guilliman. Following the unification with its Primarch, Guilliman quickly set about restructuring his Legion's operational doctrine and hierarchy to suit his personal tastes and style of leadership. While the newly espoused doctrine of structured adaptability became deeply ingrained within many of the Legion's Chapters, there were some notable deviations from this pattern. Some few individual Chapters, through long held preference or some quirk of supply, maintained notable strengths of non-standard equipment or personnel. One of the more noteworthy examples of this was the 20th Chapter, known within the Legion as the "Eagles," who had trained extensively for void combat. During the Calth conjunction they were assigned to security duties amongst the orbital platforms and docked Imperial warships in Calth's local orbit, and so witnessed the full fires of betrayal committed by the Word Bearers Legion during the Battle of Calth. Brother Varis, 4th Squad of the 4th Company (battleline).]] When the Second Founding of the Space Marines was decreed after the death of Horus and the end of his Heresy, the existing void veteran formations of the Ultramarines 20th Chapter became a part of the newly founded "Eagle Warriors" Chapter. Marines Errant Progenitors Within the Mythos Angelica Mortis, the great work concerning the Space Marines of the latter part of the 37th Millennium, the Eagle Warriors are listed as the immediate forebears of the Marines Errant, although why they were singled out for the honour of a "named" Founding (23rd Founding) being drawn from their ranks at this time remains lost to posterity. Great Rift Several starships of the Chapter have been lost to the potent Warp Storms of the Noctis Aeterna that consumed the galaxy after the birth of the Great Rift, and two entire companies of Eagle Warriors have been declared lost in the Warp. Notable Campaigns *'Peril on Zurcon (021.M31)' - Captain Nikon and the 2nd Company of the Eagle Warriors vanished under mysterious circumstances in 021.M31 while answering a planetary distress call from the planet Zurcon Primus in the Jericho Reach. *'Baran War (914.M40-224.M41)' - The Baran War was a three-way-conflict between the Orks, the Aeldari of Craftworld Biel-Tan, and the Imperium throughout the late 40th Millennium and into the early 41st Millennium in the Zypher Sub-sector. The war began in 914.M40 when an Ork WAAAGH! under the Warlord Arbuttz swept over the Exodite World of Baran. The Exodites, mounting their great reptiles, fought nobly but were overwhelmed by the Orks after several solar months due to the sheer size of WAAAGH! Arbuttz. Moving on, Arbuttz's Boyz pushed into Imperial territory, attacking the Death World of Gorang. Despite the efforts of its defenders, in the end the Zypher Sub-sector was overrun by the Orks. For almost 300 standard years, this new Ork Empire was left unmolested by the defenders of Mankind. But in 204.M41, the Imperium finally launched a counteroffensive against the Zypher Orks. The re-conquest was led by the Marauders, Eagle Warriors, Raven Guard, and Revilers Space Marine Chapters as well as the Death Korps of Krieg Astra Militarum regiments. After a hard campaign, in 224.M41 the Zypher Sub-sector was declared cleared of Orks. The Imperial offensive spread past the previous boundaries of the Ork Empire, pushing deep into territory never before touched by humanity. The 127th Death Korps of Krieg Regiment finally cleared the lush world of Baran. The former Exodite World was determined to be free of Greenskins, and Imperial settlers soon moved into the region to colonise Baran and the other newly conquered worlds. *'Assault on Kyran's Pass (Unknown Date.M41)' - The Eagle Warriors assisted in the Assault on Kyran's Pass. *'Reconquest of the Zypher Sub-Sector (204-224.M41)' - For almost 300 Terran years the Ork empire of WAAAGH! Arbutz ruled the Zypher Sub-sector and was left unmolested, until a campaign of re-conquest was finally begun in 204.M41. The re-conquest was led by troops of the Raven Guard, Marauders, Eagle Warriors and Revilers Space Marine Chapters, supported by over two-dozen Imperial Guard regiments. In a long, hard fought campaign, these troops battled to reclaim the planets lost to Warlord Arbuttz, until finally in 224.M41 the Zypher Sub-sector was declared free of the taint of alien infection. *'Ambush at Balur Secundus (919.M41)' - A strike force from the Eagle Warriors' 7th Company was ambushed during operations against Feral Orks in the central lowlands of the world of Balur's primary continent. The only survivor was Veteran Sergeant Nzahan, who was later entombed within the armoured sarcophagus of a rare Contemptor Pattern Dreadnought. *'The Defence of Hyth (994.M41)' - Space Marines of the Eagle Warriors Chapter answered a distress call from the city of Hyth, shortly before all communications were smothered by a splinter Hive Fleet. Though unable to reach the city itself to prepare a robust defence, they deployed on the plain before it, in the path of the ravening swarm, to unleash the full firepower of their Stormravens, Centurion Squads and Dreadnoughts. The Eagle Warriors' efforts held back an incessant tide of Genestealers, and the Devastator Centurions eliminated the more severe threat of Haruspexes and Harpies before they were able to cause the devastation expected of them. After many weeks, victory was secured, preventing Hyth, and the planet, from succumbing to the Hive Fleet. *'Fall of Medusa V (999.M41)' - The Fall of Medusa V was a multi-sided military conflict fought on the Imperial Mining World of Medusa V in the Ultima Segmentum that was devoured by a Warp Storm in 999.M41. Luckily, the military forces of the Imperium of Man were able to evacuate the entire surviving civilian population of the planet before it was consumed. Before completing this evacuation, the world became the centre of a large military conflict between eight of the Milky Way Galaxy's major powers for control of the world, each for its own reasons. The 4th Company of the Eagle Warriors earned particular renown during this campaign. *'Zeist Campaign (999.M41)' - The Zeist Campaign was a military conflict fought between the Imperium of Man and the T'au Empire, in the Zeist Sector of the Ultima Segmentum. Taking place in 999.M41, during the T'au Empire's Third Sphere Expansion, it ran concurrently with Abaddon the Despoiler's 13th Black Crusade and the assault on Imperial space by the Tyranid Hive Fleet Leviathan. As the Imperium's military was heavily involved with preventing the breakout of the Forces of Chaos from the Cadian Gate on the other side of Imperial space, the T'au took advantage of this distraction to rapidly expand their territory. With the victory of the Imperium, the Zeist Campaign marked the end of the Third Sphere Expansion, the T'au Empire having grown to 133% of its prior size. Chapter Master Marneus Calgar despatched Captain Cato Sicarius and the Ultramarines' famous 2nd Company to the Zeist Sector to draw a defensive line through which the Tau would not be able to pass. Calgar also sent requests to other nearby Space Marine Chapters for further assistance. The T'au expansion slowed and then stopped under the Imperial assaults. Eventually, only the world of Augura, in the Zeist Sector, remained in Tau hands, as their only remaining logistical and repair source in the area. Space Marines from the Night Watch, Halo Dragons, Silver Skulls, Sable Swords, Crimson Fists, Iron Lords, Aurora Chapter and the Knights of the Raven, as well as many others, had all joined the Ultramarines in the attack on Augura. A score of Eagle Warriors Terminators participated in the assault on Augura, and despite the T'au's advanced weaponry and technology, they were unable to stand against the combined force of Astartes. *'Indomitus Crusade (ca. 999.M41-111.M42)' - The Eagle Warriors participated in the battles of the Indomitus Crusade, suffering the loss of two companies. Notable Eagle Warriors *'Captain Nikon Pelahius' - Long ago, in the early 31st Millennium, Nikon Pelahius was the Captain of the 2nd Company of the newly formed Eagle Warriors Chapter. He was the lauded victor of the Battle of Namolas, which had seen the Ultramarines Legion snatch victory from the jaws of defeat through a daring assault led by Captain Nikon. Whilst he survived, one hundred of his Battle-Brothers had perished, a bloody toll for which Pelahius never truly forgave himself. As an ostentatious sign of his grief, he underwent ritual scarring for each of the slain Eagle Warriors, refusing to have his cell cleaned afterwards, the blood stains to be a permanent reminder of his failure. Respected by his men, Nikon Pelahius was nevertheless a warrior and was known throughout the Chapter as commander of the Aiaxis, his personal Honour Guard. Like the rest of the 2nd Company, Captain Nikon vanished under mysterious circumstances in 021.M31 while answering a planetary distress call from the planet Zurcon Primus in the Jericho Reach. *'Apothecary Hilarion' - 2nd Company's Apothecary and member of Squad Aiaxis. *'Sergeant Erastos' - Leader of Squad Aiaxis, which served as Captain Nikon's personal bodyguard. *'Acacius' - Member of Squad Aiaxis, and member of Captain Nikon's personal bodyguard. *'Ligeia' - The 2nd Company's Standard Bearer and member of Squad Aiaxis, killed on Zurcon Primus by Astartes of the Flesh Tearers Death Company. *'Galenos' - Heavy weapon specialist of Squad Aiaxis, usually armed with a Heavy Bolter. *'Dreadnought Nzahan' - Nzahan was a Veteran Sergeant when he and his strike force were ambushed on the world of Balur Secundus in 915.M41. Nzahan was the only survivor and entombed within a rare Contemptor Pattern Dreadnought in 919.M41. *'Ampelio' - A Terminator who served alongside Squad Aiaxis. *'Axcillian' - An Eagle Warriors Dreadnought and member of the Deathwatch. Chapter Relics *''Pinions of Ascanius'' - The Pinions of Ascanius are custom Artificer-crafted pauldrons and vambraces that can be fitted onto a suit of Astartes Power Armour. Ascanius of the Eagle Warriors was seconded to the Deathwatch in the Jericho Reach in the mid-37th Millennium, where he developed a reputation for swordsmanship without peer. His armour, custom-fitted to his enormous frame, was the subject of numerous upgrades to enhance the grace and power of his strokes. Eventually, the Masters of the Forge themselves were at a loss to explain the modifications in full. After his death, they found they could not refit the full armour to accommodate another wearer, and were forced to dismantle it, taking care to preserve the pauldrons and vambraces that had encased his arms. They now can offer another Astartes who incorporates them into his own panoply unprecedented dexterity in close combat. Chapter Fleet *''Valorous'' (Battle Barge) - The Valorous is a Battle Barge of the Eagle Warriors Chapter. *''Claw'' (Strike Cruiser) - The Claw was the Strike Cruiser allocated to the 2nd Company under Captain Nikon. The Claw was lost under unknown circumstances in the early 31st Millennium. Chapter Appearance Chapter Colours The Eagle Warriors wear a unique halved heraldry of blue (right) and white (left) Power Armour. The white squad specialty symbol on the right shoulder guard designates operational specialty -- battleline, close support, fire support, Veteran or command. A black High Gothic numeral is stenciled on the centre of the squad specialty symbol which indicates squad number. The colour of the left knee plate indicates company number in accordance with the dictates of the Codex Astartes -- i.e. white (1st Company), yellow (2nd Company), red (3rd Company), green (4th Company), etc. The right knee plate often bears honourifics, such as an Iron Halo marking or an Imperial Laurel. Chapter Badge The Eagle Warriors' Chapter badge consists of a blue eagle's wing, displayed and elevated, centred upon a field of white. Sources *''Adeptus Astartes: Successor Chapters'' (Limited Release Booklet), pg. 37 *''Codex Adeptus Astartes - Space Marines'' (8th Edition), pg. 30 *''Codex Supplement: Ultramarines'' (8th Edition), pg. 24 *''Codex: Space Marines'' (7th Edition) (Digital Edition), pg. 115 *''Codex: Space Marines'' (6th Edition), pg. 111 *''Codex: Space Marines'' (5th Edition), pp. 8, 24, 48 *''Codex: Space Marines'' (3rd Edition), pp. 22-23 *''Codex: Ultramarines'' (2nd Edition), pp. 9, 42 *''Deathwatch: Honour the Chapter'' (RPG), pg. 130 *''How to Paint Space Marines'' (2004) *''Imperial Armour Volume Two - Space Marines and Forces of the Inquisition'', pp. 96, 122 *''Imperial Armour Volume Two - War Machines of the Adeptus Astartes'' (Second Edition), pg. 22 *''Imperial Armour Volume Nine - The Badab War, Part One'', pg. 74 *''Index Astartes - Volume One'' (Digital Edition), "Index Astartes: Centurions," pg. 66 *''Index Astartes: Battle Barges'' (6th Edition) (Digital Edition), pg. 10 *''Insignium Astartes'' *''Sons of Wrath'' (Novella) by Andy Smillie *''The Fall of Medusa V'' (2006 booklet) *''The Horus Heresy - Book Five: Tempest'' (Forge World Series) by Alan Bligh, pp. 39, 80-81 *[http://www.games-workshop.com/MEDIA_CustomProductCatalog/m1320010_Swordwind_Part_3_-_Baran_War.pdf Swordwind, Part 3 - The Baran War] Gallery File:EagleWarriorsPrimaris.PNG|An Eagle Warriors Primaris Space Marine wearing Mark X Tacticus Power Armour EW Land Speeder.jpg|An Eagle Warriors Land Speeder es:Guerreros Águila Category:E Category:Imperium Category:Second Founding Category:Space Marine Chapters Category:Space Marines Category:Ultramarines